The Four of Swords as Advice: Rest

Written by Chaya the Medium.

The Four of Swords as advice asks you to lie down for a while. Here is how, and what the reversal says about restlessness.

If you want the short answer, the Four of Swords as advice says: rest. Stop, recover, and do not make the big decision until you have.

What the Four of Swords advises upright

Tina Gong's the Four of Swords guide at Labyrinthos associates the upright card with rest, recuperation, contemplation and retreat. In an advice position I read those meanings as an instruction: the attitude or action the card is asking of you, rather than a description of what will happen. The Minor Arcana overview at Biddy Tarot is a useful second reference.

Upright, the Four of Swords advises deliberate recovery: sleep, quiet, time away from the problem.

What the Four of Swords is not asking you to do

The Four is not asking you to hide forever.

The Four of Swords reversed as advice

Reversed, the Four of Swords as advice says you are refusing to rest, or resting so long it has become avoidance. A reversed card in an advice position is usually pointing at the habit that is getting in your way, not at a punishment.

The Four of Swords as advice in love

In love, the Four of Swords advises space before the next conversation.

The Four of Swords as advice for work and money

For work and money, it advises a proper break before burnout. Advice from a card is reflection. For decisions with legal, medical or financial weight, take it to someone qualified as well.

One step to take this week

Take one full day or evening off this week with no work and no problem-solving.

For comparison, the Hermit as advice and the Four of Cups as advice ask different things of you. The the Four of Swords card meaning page covers the card in full, and the Four of Swords as a yes or no, the Four of Swords as feelings and the Four of Swords as timing cover the other questions people most often ask of it. You can draw a card for yourself with the free daily tarot tool. For a personal interpretation, my guide to an online psychic reading explains how readings work, and the three-card tarot listing and customer reviews are worth reading before deciding whether to order.